{"id":4914,"date":"2021-03-09T23:55:59","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T22:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.l-acoustics.com\/?post_type=customer-stories&p=4914"},"modified":"2024-04-08T11:47:07","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T09:47:07","slug":"hamburg-production-of-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child","status":"publish","type":"customer-stories","link":"https:\/\/www.l-acoustics.com\/fr\/customer-stories\/hamburg-production-of-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamburg Production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Team<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Integrator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feedback Show Systems & Service GmbH<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Designer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gareth Fry Ltd<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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L-Acoustics Services<\/p>\n\n\n\n

System Calibration<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hamburg Production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Enhances Their Sound<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, proceeding after the final book. The original story, written by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, is a spellbinding continuation of Rowling’s wizarding world and starts 19 years after Harry’s time at Hogwarts. The multi Olivier and Tony\u00ae award-winning play immerses the audience in epic duels, extraordinary spells and gives attendees the ability to see their beloved characters on stage. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is rich with a compelling storyline, filled with distinctive stagecraft, and the Mehr! Theater am Gro\u00dfmarkt, in Hamburg, Germany, needed support from an intuitive sound system that would reinforce all the highs of a major scene and provide clarity during the softer, more intimate moments.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The biggest challenges for this German-language production of the famous fictitious wizard were the theater\u2019s acoustics. The venue was formerly a produce market that had been converted into a multi-purpose event venue. Built into the Gro\u00dfmarkthalle, a protected historic building, the theater shell is mostly an exposed concrete building. Fry noted the nature of the production involves large, epic scenes and quieter, more intimate moments. The production scenes\u2019 duality would need a system that made the big venue feel more intimate and draw the audience into each scene and each moment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a part of the venue\u2019s extensive conversion to make it more intimate for the show, Fry worked closely with architect Frans Dikmans and acoustician Karlheinz Stegmaier to enhance the space\u2019s sound. The rental company, FeedBack Show systems, with their established expertise in L-Acoustics systems, provided expert support to build a system with the needed flexibility and definition for the production. A vital component of this strategy was the use of predictive modeling software, including Soundvision. By importing and exporting files, the team could collaborate with other departments to detect potential sightline or obstruction issues in advance, communicating the consequences of shifting speaker positions, since it was easy to display the impact that would have on coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the system, the team decided on a frontal system, primarily utilizing KARA. KIVA II is also used for rear surrounds on the upper circle due to the space\u2019s challenging nature for rigging, and the 45-degree rake of the seating section. Each surround level also includes a pair of KS28 subwoofers to ensure the impact of the show\u2019s more significant moments across the theater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

System pictures<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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\"3D<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Result<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the preview performances, Fry felt the system was performing well above expectations, thanks to the team\u2019s hard work on the system design. \u201cIt\u2019s always important for the audience to connect with the performers, which gets trickier the larger the venue gets. The vocal reinforcement system needs to be as transparent as possible, and vocals need to come from the performers onstage clearly.\u201d The L-Acoustics system did just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project photos<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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\"L-Acoustics<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"L-Acoustics<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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I found acoustic modeling software incredibly useful for working out how the system would function, which is particularly important when modeling a space that doesn’t exist yet. The software is incredibly useful for visualizing how the system will work and sharing information with other departments.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Gareth Fry<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Sound Designer<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Tech Brief<\/h2>\n\n\n\n